$200, for a lightbulb? You have got to be kidding me. So let me get this straight - it's efficant but totally out of the reach of the general public? Well, then, that's useful.

The price will go down, of course.

5-function calculators used to be hundreds of dollars, computers used to be as big as houses. The cutting edge is always more expensive; what's important is to move these LEDs into the mainstream (and CFLs too, it's not like everybody has them) asap.

Assuming a 13W $158 white LED bulb can replace a 100W incandescent bulb and assuming it's burning 12 hours a day at $0.15/kwh, the energy savings alone will pay for itself in about 3 years. (.087kw*12h/day*365day*$0.15) This doesn't even count savings on maintenance since they will last 10+ years.
If it's on 24/7 then payback is 1.5 years. This is definitely a niche application type directed towards businesses. But as MSR said, the prices will come down.

LED's do not compare to CFL's or incandescent in intensity. Or rather it is all focused light and will not appear as bright, or over a large area. That's why there are so many LED's in bulbs like this. To emit light in all directions.

If you click on the link you will see these things are for signs and similar commercial applications where it is big pain to replace a burnt out bulb (renting a cherry picker, taking the sign apart, etc.). So the cheapness of powering plus the long life add up to making the high cost acceptable.

LEDs are starting to become available for home lighting. For example IKEA make an undercounter light using LEDs (where a cool running but dim light is ok). It will be awhile before LEDs can replace normal lightbulbs, but CF lights were expensive at first, too.

This technology has been around FOREVER. This stuff isn't innovative, they're just capitalizing off of people counting the pennies. This bulb shouldn't cost more than 10-20$ to mass manufacture. The R & D is old. What are we paying for? A: To pad someone's wallet.

I installed the IKEA lights in my kitchen and they are great. One thing they are not is bright, but they manage to eliminate the shadows under the counters and I don't feel too bad if I accidentally forget to turn them off at night.

who uses these to showcase their gardens? Can I have their address? Is in in the front yard where I can park a quick get away vehicle on the street?

Anyone know how much the Mule LEDs cost? They were featured on TH last year, I think.

It would be difficult to buy any of these LED bulbs without being able to see and feel the light in advance. They are all mail-order, and at these prices it is a gamble if you might not like them, and if you are buying more than one, shipping the first as a test and then shipping the rest separately is wasteful.

I would also suggest that the payback in energy consumption should take longer than Johann suggested. I hope so, anyway. Even at such low levels of consumption, there is no reason to illuminate a garden ALL night, much less 24 hours a day. I hope that they would be used for 2-4 hours a day, at most, maybe 6-8 commercially.

Hi, Why is the cost so high??? Ihave a few LED flashlights an they didn't coast that much extra. Another thing where can you find these lights? Art :)

Anyone need LED bulbs just contact with me:

My name is James Ma,and we produce LED bulbs here in China.

We have white LED bulbs from 1-9W. And the 9W model is very bright,

But one thing is that the courier charge is not included.

My skype: james.trade
MSN: james.sales@msn.com

I 've sent out many samples to US and Canada.

Where LEDs really shine (no pun intended) is in combination with solar power. In situations where there's no existing electric power or is very expensive to provision, LED + battery + solar can make a lot of sense. For example, at the cottage, parking lot, rural driveways or private roads, aid stations, etc.

PLUG ALERT: A company here in Canada is producing a 60 LED array (that produces just under 3000 lumens) powered by two 7Ah batteries and charged by a 20W solar panel. The batteries will run the array for 24 hours conitnuously and the panel will charge the batteries (from empty) in 7 - 10 hours. The cost?

Who is this guy of course made in China
My skype: james.trade
MSN: james.sales@msn.com
Just like the CFL Bulbs

So the bulbs cost more than a 100 dollars ok cant you people get those chines people to work cheaper whats the point of slave labor if you pay them more then a penny a day oh no am I mean oh well id be willing to pay if they weren't made in a communist country

Someone commented about "padding someone's wallet"... that's what makes it all possible. It just depends upon who gets their wallet padded. I won't work for free, and can't manufacture for free. Materials aren't free, and design time (build on skills built over time) isn't free. Shipping isn't free. No one is going to SELL them for free (i.e., at ZERO profit).

If you want cheaper, the best thing to do is make your own.

If you want more practical, then get CFLs. Even CFLs aren't free... they run about $3.60 a piece here from a reputable store, but I happen to know that CFLs bought in bulk from China run 17 CENTS a bulb. I personally think that Chinese goods are bad, but most stores fill their shelves with cheap goods instead of American Made (read More Costly) goods, and people get laid off. It's all a big ball.

13000 mcd white LEDs can be bought for 50 cents a piece in small quantities, and below 10 cents in bulk. The 130 LED light uses between 18 and 65 dollars of LEDs. I think you could make on for less than 18 if you shop around and read a little bit. It's not rocket science, and many of the expensive bulbs use low-quality circuits that any one of us could duplicate. There are also other manufacturers out there. I see ads for 2.4W 48 LED bulbs on the web. $17.

Many people assume that LED lighting is still not ready for general area illumination for a reasonable cost...

www.elumanation.com

a Canadian company that provides true high brightness, low wattage, long life, sustainable LED bulbs for a more cost effective price. They offer energy, cost saving and sustainable lighting options while being the most environmentally friendly lighting option available.

check the G60 5x1W LED bulb

Be aware of many inferior LED bulbs that will do no more then light your hand right in front of it. The true high brightness LEDs are the LEDs that use very few high power diodes, rather then these bulbs with 48 or 36 diodes that are cheap but in no ways are they sufficient in light.

The future is here you just need to know where look...

www.eLumanation.com

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Hey, does anybody else remember when the compact fluorescent light bulbs were super expensive? The prices will come down for sure, it just takes a while. Actually, you might be surprised at how much the prices have already come down for some bulbs...
check out the difference between
http://weloveleds.com/index.php and the other big suppliers of similar bulbs.